Pulsating massage devices are commonly used to relieve muscular pain, to relieve stress, and to produce a generally pleasant sensation. Such device is usually applied directly to the area being massaged, for example by holding the device against a user's neck.
Electric massage units include an electric motor, a mechanical element coupled to the motor to communicate motor-produced vibrations to the user, and an electronic circuit that controls the motor. The control circuit permits a user to turn the massager on and off, and perhaps to vary the intensity or strength of the massage.
Prior art control circuits operate the motor at 100% duty cycle, which is to say that when the massage unit is turned on, the motor is always running. Because the duty cycle is fixed, the intensity or strength of the vibrations is fixed. Prior art controller circuits also operate the motor at a single vibrational rate or frequency. Unfortunately, the fixed duty cycle and fixed motor frequency produce an unvarying pattern of vibrations that can become annoying to the user after a short while.
The control circuit for some massagers includes a timer to turn-off the motor after a preset amount of time, for example after the user falls asleep. Unfortunately the sudden cessation of massage action after the preset time can be so abrupt as to awaken the user.
Vibrations produced by the motor are coupled by the mechanism element to a tapered point that focusses the vibrating action on one region of the user's area being massaged. Some massage units provide a widearea head that contains tapered heads that move up and down to communicate the vibrating action to a large area of the user's skin being massaged.
Further, prior art massage units are generally designed for hand-held use so that the vibrating head or tapered point can be manually manipulated to contact the desired region of application. Because they are hand-held, at least one of the user's hands is precluded from simultaneously performing another task during self-massage. Further, prior art massage units generally preclude simultaneous massage of multiple regions of the user's body. In addition, such massage units are generally inappropriate for application on the user's face, due in part to the size of the massaging head.
It is known in the art to mount a vibrating facial massage unit to an eyeglass frame, proximate the bridge of the user's nose. While this configuration frees the user's hands for other tasks, only those regions of the user's face in direct contact with the eyeglass frames receive direct massage. Hence, this configuration does not provide for selective massage of other areas of the face, and has limited application for facial massage.
In summary, there is a need for a pulse action massage unit that need not be hand-held while massaging a user. Preferably such massage unit should provide massage to different regions of a user's body simultaneously, including different regions of the user's head. Such a massage unit should provide vibrating focal surfaces that can be selectively positioned by a user to massage different regions of the user's head.
Preferably the controller for such a unit should permit a user to vary the intensity and the pattern of the vibrations produced, as well as the repetition rate of the vibrations. Further, the controller should provide a timer mechanism that permits gradual diminishment of the strength of the vibrations. Preferably the entire massage unit should be self-contained and mountable on a user's head.
The present invention provides such a massage unit.